Category: Musica

So far I feel like I have done a lot of yammering on about the injustices of New Orleans. You might be wondering at this point “Well then why do you still live there?” Because I love it. So much. I was talking to a friend today about hurricanes, which are a terrifying and very real threat (we are entering hurricane season soon). He asked why we put up with them, and I said because we, New Orleanians, take the bad with the good. And because when it’s good is ohhh sooo good!

I am referring to New Orleans’ insatiable desire and need for festivals. Everyone knows about Mardi Gras, well, they think they know about Mardi Gras. Anyway, New Orleans has many, many other festivals. One of the best is French Quarter Fest. French Quarter Fest is the largest FREE music festival in the South. This year FQF was April 11-14, four wonderful days of free local music, delicious food, and happy, happy people. I was only able to go for part of the day the 13th, but it was glorious.

Street people getting some jams in.

“Sign for community spirit”

You couldn’t walk half a block without seeing and hearing some local musicians.

Everybody felt the music and couldn’t help but dance it out!

We finally got to the other end of Decatur!

The Crescent City Connection, Steamboat Natchez and the Mississippi River.

Ask almost anybody who knows me and they will tell you that I hate the radio. I hate the commercials, I hate the mainstream pop-crap music they play and I also, usually, hate the radio personalities. Living in New Orleans (and since my iPod jack broke) I have reverted to making mix cds…which I personally believe is a lost art that should be revived. I have my mixes of rap, rock, electro, hip-hop, dubstep and folk. I was happy.

But, I was only happy because I didn’t know what my life was missing! I was hanging out with some friends and one friend kept mentioning the “the wooz” I was so confused. He told wonderful tales about reggae, blues, Cajun, Spanish, and many, many more awesome types of music. He then told me to tune into 90.7. I thought psshht the radio, no thank you. BUT to my surprise and delight it was a locally run and funded radio station. No annoying commercials (only the occasional solicitation, which is understandable), no ass hole, over the top radio personalities, only normal people who love music, no pop crap bullshit, just good old-fashioned (and new) New Orleans (and other) music. ALSO great interviews with local artists, writers, school bands, etc. It is great. I seriously suggest that everyone check out and stream OZ.

Also, if you can’t travel to NOLA for any number of our amazing festivals, they do the occasional live stream!

The point? Local radio, the WWOZ, is amazing and makes commuting to work totally bearable.